'China has upgraded military standing against India'

China has considerably upgraded its military force projection capability against India, a defence ministry report cautioned Monday. In its annual report for 2011-12, the ministry said India remained "conscious and watchful" of the implications of China's profile in the country's immediate and extended neighbourhood.

China has considerably upgraded its military force projection capability against India, a defence ministry report cautioned Monday. In its annual report for 2011-12, the ministry said India remained "conscious and watchful" of the implications of China's profile in the country's immediate and extended neighbourhood.

"Rapid infrastructure development in Tibet and Xinjiang has considerably upgraded China's military force projection capability against India and improved its overall strategic and operational flexibility," the ministry said in its report.

It also drew attention to China's progressively increasing footprint in India's immediate neighbourhood due to its "proactive diplomacy" through political, military and economic cooperation.

In its previous reports, the ministry has warned against the possibility of China and Pakistan joining forces in India's farthest frontiers, illegally occupied by the two neighbours, as it would have direct military implications for New Delhi.

"China's rising power supported by a burgeoning economy is reflected in its increased confidence which will have an impact on regional and international security contours and power equations," the latest report said.

The report said that a prosperous Pakistan was in the best interest of India but the "existence of terrorist camps across the India-Pakistan border and continued infiltration attempts along the Line of Control continue to pose a threat."